Azealia Banks has been dropped as a headliner of the Born & Bred Festival in London after she went on a racist Twitter tirade against Zayn Malik on Tuesday (May 10) night. “We have decided to cancel Azealia Banks’ headline appearance at Rinse | Born & Bred Festival,” read a statement from the organizers. “We celebrate inclusivity and equality.”
ANNOUNCEMENT: @RinseFM I @bornandbredLDN pic.twitter.com/AB3wnTaSru
— Rinse I Born & Bred (@bornandbredLDN) May 11, 2016
Related
The move came after Banks went on an hours-long rant against Malik’s new “Like I Would” video, which was released on Tuesday, which she claims is similar to some of her previous videos and outfits. She started out playfully, tweeting, “Damn Zayn be mood boarding the f— out of me… I’m not mad about this though. Zayn is a cutie pie.” The trolling expanded to include the Capital Breakfast show in London, who Banks railed at for tweeting at her that they were playing Malik’s music, piling on a tasteless joke about refugees at Zayn’s expense.
Azealia Banks Continues Trashing Beyonce: ‘She’s Not an Artist, She’s a Poacher’
Trending on Billboard
Things quickly escalated after Banks claimed some of Malik’s fans used a racial epithet against her. The rapper began taunting Malik, calling him a “sand n—–” and a “f—–,” claiming that Malik gave out her personal cell number to his fans and posting a since-deleted Periscope with a racist title. The offensive back-and-forth between Banks and Malik supporters went on for hours before Malik weighed in, wondering what it was all about.
“@AZEALIABANKS why you been saying nasty things about me? I wasn’t talking about you lol?” he wrote.
@AZEALIABANKS why you been saying nasty things about me ? I wasn’t talking about you lol ?
— zayn (@zaynmalik) May 11, 2016
Zayn Malik Shares ‘Tron’-Inspired ‘Like I Would’ Video: Watch
Once he weighed in, Banks took the opportunity to hit him harder, responding, “do you understand that you are a sand n—– who emulates white boys’ rendition of black male hood?”
The insults expanded to encompass British rappers, including boasts about her headlining slot at the festival, which she was slated to play on June 5. “Which is why a U.S. rapper has been asked to headline ur grimey grime festival?” she wrote when someone threatened to toss urine on her during her set. “Haha, enjoy the rain!”
When the festival announced she had been removed from its lineup, Banks made light of it.
Most of the people coming to this on my day were only coming for me. —— https://t.co/97gQGKOTYF
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) May 11, 2016
To all of my Darling UK fans who bought tickets to see me at the Rinse FM show. My sincerest apologies!!!!!
— BRUJA DEL BLOQUE (@AZEALIABANKS) May 11, 2016
At press time a representative for Banks could not be reached for comment on her latest social media outburst; a spokesperson for Malik told Billboard his camp had no comment at press time.